Manchester City, second in the Premier League, face leaders Liverpool on Sunday, whom they trail by a point, but the Spaniard said the focus remained on reaching the Champions League quarter-finals.
Manchester City may be 3-1 up in their Champions League round-of-16 tie against Copenhagen but manager Pep Guardiola has warned his defending champions against any complacency in Wednesday night’s second-leg clash at home.
City, second in the Premier League, face leaders Liverpool on Sunday, whom they trail by a point, but the Spaniard said the focus remained on reaching the Champions League quarter-finals.
“In football, details make the difference. Everything can happen,” he said on Tuesday. “We concede a goal in the 85th minute … concede two, we have to go to extra time.
“I have a lot of respect for Copenhagen. They defend, they have a good system … they’re really well organised.”
✨ @ChampionsLeague mode activated! 🫡 pic.twitter.com/BXq4wP8k83
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 5, 2024
Guardiola cited the example of RB Leipzig, whom City beat 3-1 on the road in the group stage but then went 2-0 behind at home before fighting back to win 3-2.
“Two mistakes, zero-two,” he said. “If we (conceded) another goal we’d be second in the table.”
City striker Erling Haaland echoed his manager’s sentiments.
“I haven’t thought of (the Liverpool game) until you asked me now,” he said.
“I am focused on Copenhagen. It’s going to be a huge game against Liverpool. We have to be ready for the game, we have to be brave and play at our best.”
PEP 💬 We struggled there [at FC Copenhagen] last season… They've played two years in a row with the same manager, they have a strong striker. They are compact and do really good movements. pic.twitter.com/EbC8w1isPu
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 5, 2024
Guardiola said the team selection for the Liverpool clash will depend on the players’ fitness after the Copenhagen game.
“Selection depends on the players, on how they feel. The competition is so important because in football everything can happen and you have to be aware of that,” he said.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, meanwhile, is happy with his team’s season so far as they lead La Liga and prepare to host RB Leipzig in their Champions League round of 16 second-leg tie with a 1-0 lead but the Italian said his job still involved a lot of suffering.
Preparing for Copenhagen! ⚡️
Watch the lads train ahead of tomorrow's #UCL match 👇
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 5, 2024
Talking to the media on Tuesday, the 64-year-old reflected on the personal burden that comes with being Real Madrid manager and the struggle to handle the mental challenge facing the players and staff in such a competitive environment.
“My work is more about suffering than happiness,” a contemplative Ancelotti said.
“I love my job, even more at Real Madrid because it’s the perfect club in the world to do what I do. But about my work as a whole, it is more about suffering because of the situations that you manage on a daily basis.
“It’s not only winning that makes you happy, and despite a win there are people around you that are not happy. It could be a player that has not played … That has an impact on general happiness.
“Suffering is only yours to have. You can share happiness with others, you can’t do that with the suffering. So, I’m fine because of where I am and the job that I have, but I have more suffering than happiness …”
A little over two months after extending his Real Madrid contract until 2026, following months of uncertainty over his future, with Brazil’s FA targeting him to take over as manager, Ancelotti’s Real top La Liga after one defeat in 27 matches.
Unbeaten in the Champions League as they resume their bid for a record-extending 15th European Cup triumph, Ancelotti said he was thrilled with where his team stands, despite injuries to key players like goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois plus defenders David Alaba and Eder Militao with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, but added that it will be worth nothing if they do not close the season on a high.
“We have to pursue the dream of winning this competition. So far, we have done well, but there are still two to three months to go,” Ancelotti said.
“I can’t reproach my team for the moment. The key point is that I have very good players. There are players who want to learn, improve and be part of this club. Everything you put on the table, they accept it. They give everything they can to do well and help the team.”
Reuters
